Leave a Comment · Posted on September 25, 2023
After Désirée Reynolds curated Black Women Write Now for Off the Shelf in 2021 with a showcase of readings by the three poets, many enquired about obtaining their work in print. The result is this Off the Shelf-commissioned anthology, with an introduction by Désirée.
An Off the Shelf Festival of Words commission in partnership with The Poetry Business
Warda Yassin is a British Somali poet and English teacher. She was Sheffield Poet Laureate 2020-2022 and was awarded the Women Poets’ Prize 2020/21. Warda often writes about her experiences as a British Somali and about her heritage and community and in 2018, her debut pamphlet Tea with Cardamom was a winner of the New Poets Prize (The Poetry Business). Warda has been a part of the South Yorkshire writers network (now Hive) for many years and knows firsthand from her own experience, how writing networks can support young writers to reach their potential.
Danae Wellington is a Jamaican British writer and Sheffield Poet Laureate 2023-2024. She advocates for healing through the creative arts, specifically through the fusion of poetry, storytelling, music and theatre. She’s been published in several anthologies and has performed widely at places like the Ted Hughes Poetry Festival and Sheaf Poetry Festival. Danae is passionate about leading projects aimed at supporting young people from African Diaspora backgrounds to tell their stories and use their voices.
Sile Sibanda is a British Zimbabwean poet, spoken word performer, and BBC radio presenter. As well as being an active part of the Hive community, she has hosted open mics and events for Hive over the last few years and is loved by everyone for her warmth and encouragement of young voices. Sile hails from Rotherham and in 2019 she won the BBC Radio Sheffield ‘This is Me’ presenting competition and subsequently became the host of The Vibe on BBC Radio Sheffield.
Leave a Comment · Posted on September 25, 2023
This site-specific installation is designed to be happened upon in a transitory way with the movement of people through their day. You can drop in to catch a little slice of South Yorkshire life on Saturday 28th October at the Millennium Gallery (FREE)
A single vibrant red leaf is ripped from its home and runs through the silent streets. An overflowing bin looks like a volcanic eruption of household rubbish. A soot black cat with shining yellow eyes sits on top of another lid, as if claiming the throne of a grey and abandoned kingdom. (2.45pm: Royston, Barnsley)
Ear to the Streets was inspired by Ian McMillian’s ‘Early Stroll’ series.
In partnership with Off the Shelf Festival of Words
Writing workshops & editing:
Vicky Morris
Audio-visual elements:
Kitty Turner
With thanks to support from:
Outwood Carlton Barnsley – Matthew Rhodie
High Storrs Sheffield – Joe Caldwell
UTC Doncaster – Ross Cuncliffe & Liam Barlow
Wales High School Rotherham – English team
Penistone Grammar Barnsley – Sarah Mann
The Civic Barnsley – Jason White
Young writers & readers:
Maia Brown
Emmie Alderson
Lauren Hollingsworth Smith
Taina Maneus
Sarafina Maneus
Hannah Zaki
Ayah Aslam
Shannon Johnson
Lacey Williamson
Samuel Davey
Peter Bridgeland
Eliza Livingstone
Sylvia Faggs
Hettie Collins
Lucy Gray
Lola Kenny
Oliver Brearley
Millie Appleyard
Oliver Brearley
Amelia Martin,
Joseph Leathead
Chloe Pearson
Ben Hudson
Ava Collier
Harriet Stockdale
Harry Lodge
Izzy Whiston
Harry Bates
Phoenix Sneap
Phoebe Marklew
Hannah Rawson
Isabelle Naylor
Ameesha Wood
Emily Linton
Lily Smith
Kenzie McMaster
Evie Burgess
Luke Worth
Jess Connelly
Olivia
Abby
Tia
Leave a Comment · Posted on September 21, 2023
The award, judged this year by Wayne Holloway-Smith and Nina Mingya Powles, received over 1,300 entries from underrepresented writers across the country. Charlotte will receive a £25 cash prize, a manuscript assessment, a copy of the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook or writing guide, and a year’s membership to The Poetry Society. All award winners are published in the X (2023) anthology alongside the judges and Creative Future writers in residence.
I like bands’ initial albums, and I like artists at the start of their careers. I like seeing footballers stepping into the first team for the first time, and I like watching debut directors at the movies. It’s invigorating to me to see raw talent finding its way, in this way — that initial burst of ambition, and excitement—the kernel of a voice emerging, the level of risk practitioners are free to take at this stage. No wonder the process of judging CFWA was such a source of joy—the originality and imagination, the vocabulary of these newcomers, crikey! — Wayne Holloway-Smith, Award judge
Judging the Creative Future Writers’ Award was an invigorating and challenging process. The shortlist of many innovative writers offered a glimpse of some of the most exciting writing being produced in the UK today. In the poetry and fiction categories, writers boldly pushed boundaries of genre and form. In creative nonfiction, a category new to the prize this year, there was an incredible range of stories and voices covering subjects I’d not encountered before. I was drawn all the way in and longed to keep reading. It’s been a joy and an honour to be involved in this prize that is helping to reshape our literary landscape. — Nina Mingya Powles, Award judge
Charlotte Murray hails from West Yorkshire. She is a member of Hive Poetry Collective and works as a University Archivist. She won second place in the E.H.P. Barnard Poetry Prize 2023, in Bangor Literary Journal’s Forty Words Competition 2021 and in the East Riding Festival of Words Poetry Competition 2021. Her poems have appeared in appear in Lucent Dreaming, Mancunian Ways (Fly on the Wall Press) and Dear Life (Hive). Her pamphlet was longlisted for the Frosted Fire First Pamphlet Award 2023.
For more about the Creative Future Awards, visit: www.creativefuture.org.uk
Leave a Comment · Posted on July 5, 2023
Congratulations to Charlie Jolley of Sheffield Young Writers who is the 1st Prize Winner in the 14-18 age category for the Hexham Poetry Competition 2023 with her poem Sunday Layla. Charlie received £100 as her prize. All winners are listed here.
Charlie Jolley is a young poet and fiction writer. She is a member of Sheffield Young Writers and the winner of the Hexham Young People’s Poetry Competition 2023. Charlie came 2nd prize in Young Poet’s Network Protest Poetry Competition 2022 and was highly commended in the Wales Young Poet Award 2020. She has been published by The Poetry Society (2022), Zoetic Press (2022), Mutabilis Press (2023), and in Hive anthologies Dear Life and Surfing the Twilight.
Leave a Comment · Posted on June 25, 2023
Congratulations to Charlie Jolley of Sheffield Young Writers who is the 2nd prize winner of the aged 12 to 15 age category of the Charles Causley Trust Young People’s Poetry Competition 2023 with her poem Sunday Roast. Charlie received poetry books and a voucher. All winners are listed here.
Charlie Jolley is a young poet and fiction writer. She is a member of Sheffield Young Writers and the winner of the Hexham Young People’s Poetry Competition 2023. Charlie came 2nd prize in Young Poet’s Network Protest Poetry Competition 2022 and was highly commended in the Wales Young Poet Award 2020. She has been published by The Poetry Society (2022), Zoetic Press (2022), Mutabilis Press (2023), and in Hive anthologies Dear Life and Surfing the Twilight.
Leave a Comment · Posted on June 23, 2023
Many congratulations to Hive Poets Charlotte Murray (2nd Prize for her poem Mosquito) and Luke Worthy (highly commended for his poem The Changing Room) in the E.H.P Barnard Poetry Prize 2023. The judge of this year’s competition was Sarah Smith and the theme was ‘change’. Both poets are members of Hive’s Poetry Collective and recently performed at Sheaf Poetry Festival, which Luke was also Poet in Residence for.